My 2 year old cat got her tail got slammed in the door today. She had a nice gash near the tip of it. I brought her to the emergency vet thinking maybe a few stitches and a couple hundred dollars later things would be dandy. Well, stupid me. They said if they can stitch it back, it would run around $500 including all the meds. If they have to amputate it, I'm looking at a cool $1000. Now, if my wife wasn't balling her eyes out, the kitty would probably be in animal heaven now.

So the question is, how much would you drop on a pet in vet bills?

I posted a pic of her just a few days ago in the pets thread. She's the white one.Link

SmileR

4/1/11 10:00:30PM

I feel your pain, man! A few years back my Dad's dog took a chunk out of its leg after it was caught in garden gate, we took it the vets right away and they quoted £1100 which covered the meds, stitches, a stay in the vet over night and the preparation for the surgery.

It worked out at £1250 in the end because "the dog was bigger than he anticipated and needed more sedative that originally priced for"!

In the end it took 11stitches and a week of tablets to keep infection away! I think the vets pray on the fact that people will do anything for their pets and charge more because of it! Thats why I bought fish!

MiniMan

4/1/11 10:06:29PM

I would pay anything for my pets. In a way its cruel to put a price on a dependent animal, You pets have nobody else to look after them. So if you buy a pet and something bad goes wrong, You just gotta pay!

The only line I draw in the sand is that if the animal is better off being put down. When I was younger my dog was hit by a car, Crushed pelvis, back and legs. The vet was trying to talk us into an operation where my dog would of been in like a wheel chair, It wouldnt be able to walk and couldnt go to the toilet itself, Even if that was a free operation we would of still put it down..

Twenty20Dollars

4/1/11 10:26:00PM

I voted any amount. Because my parents have spent thousands of dollars on the pets. 4k for my brothers dog, a couple grand for one cat and then hundreds of more dollars on other visits and meds. So prolly over 10k I would said or around there.

I like dogs, but there is just too much responsibility. Makes me not want to have kids.

kopower

4/1/11 10:40:25PM

I hear ya guys. I talk tough like I would put her down, but it would be a very hard decision. Especially since she is so young and it's just a tail. I'm more in shock that cutting half a tail off a cat costs over $1000. Still haven't heard back from the vet, so hopefully they were able to stitch it up and save me $500.

warglory

4/1/11 10:58:34PM

Posted by MiniMan

I would pay anything for my pets. In a way its cruel to put a price on a dependent animal, You pets have nobody else to look after them. So if you buy a pet and something bad goes wrong, You just gotta pay!

The only line I draw in the sand is that if the animal is better off being put down. When I was younger my dog was hit by a car, Crushed pelvis, back and legs. The vet was trying to talk us into an operation where my dog would of been in like a wheel chair, It wouldnt be able to walk and couldnt go to the toilet itself, Even if that was a free operation we would of still put it down..

You're dog was able to go to the toilet itself prior to the accident?

warglory

4/1/11 11:01:57PM

I think personally it all depends on the quality of life after whatever procedure needs to be done. My cat I had to put down a couple of years ago had cancer, and the vet had discussed treatments for the cat that would have cost a ton of money. This just didn't make sense as the cat was in a ton of pain when not on meds and properly hydrated. It was sad, but at the end of the day, these animals are not humans. If it were my child laying on a gurney with cancer, I'd give my life to save theirs, but the feeling just isn't the same for an animal, no matter how much I care for it.

bichez

4/2/11 3:08:32AM

I have a 6 year old Boston terrier, when he was a little over a year old his back right leg started bothering him. I took him to the vet and they said it was some problem with his tendon not lining up with his knee cap and it would cost 700 $. Of course I pretty much told the vet to kiss off and I would get an other opinion. Well the next day he was jumping around (these little dogs never sit still) and his back leg locked completely up and he started whimpering in pain. Of course I took him immediately to the vet and paid for the operation. Well same thing started happening to his back left leg. Since I knew a bit more I found a vet who would do the operation for 400$ where my parents live, about 2 hour drive. Well moral of the story is this guy is 6 years old now, never had any problems with his leg. Probably one of the best trained dogs you have ever met. Not only will he push the door open to let himself in, can't latch it of course, but he will run and jump and close the door behind himself. I have a 2 y/o girl and they are best friends. I can't say I would do the same for a cat, hell I am partial, but for my little dude I can say that was money well spent.

SpicyMeatball

4/2/11 8:26:38AM

I'm not sure, but I think some places offer animal insurance, meaning that you pay a monthly fee and then the insurance company pays a majority of the vet bills . It might be worth it after hearing about some of the crazy prices on here. A lot of people can't just drop a thousand on vet bills, but vet places don't care. They care more about money than saving animals.

postman

4/2/11 6:33:59PM

Posted by warglory

Posted by MiniMan

I would pay anything for my pets. In a way its cruel to put a price on a dependent animal, You pets have nobody else to look after them. So if you buy a pet and something bad goes wrong, You just gotta pay!

The only line I draw in the sand is that if the animal is better off being put down. When I was younger my dog was hit by a car, Crushed pelvis, back and legs. The vet was trying to talk us into an operation where my dog would of been in like a wheel chair, It wouldnt be able to walk and couldnt go to the toilet itself, Even if that was a free operation we would of still put it down..

You're dog was able to go to the toilet itself prior to the accident?

My question if you or your wife (if you have one) or kid were confined to a bed and needed total care you would opt for being put down? Its crazy what people will pay to keep their animals alive. I know there is emotional attachment but there is no reason to spend thousands of dollars on an animal. But people pay it and just like anything the more you pay the more it will cost.

Lesnar1

4/3/11 3:11:38AM

I would treat my animal the same as if i had kids (which i don't) but still you know you can't put a price on something like helping your pet recover from whatever.

kopower

4/3/11 9:33:51AM

Luckily my cat just needed stitches. That saved me about $500. However, she needs to have a cone on her head for a week and a half so she doesn't rip out the stitches. It's kind of funny because her orientation is so off that she runs into walls constantly.

jae_1833

4/3/11 2:45:38PM

Your lucky man, my pit-mix got out and tried to tackle a pick up truck.....needless to say he only has 3 legs now.....$4000!

Cooler

4/4/11 3:38:34PM

in my opinion pets are just like family, they grow up with you and they grow old with you through thick and thin. if you wont pay for their health and well being then what was the point of getting a pet? its just part of the responsibility of having kids or pets, if their own family wont take care of them who will? the solution cant be to kill off other species of animals. you have to take care of them through thick and thin, theyre part of your family (or if you dont feel that way, your wife feels like he's family) i hope you do the right by your wife kopower

Hendo67

4/5/11 3:19:56PM

I'd spend any amount, absolutely anything... I'd sell vechicles, i'd work countless overtime hours to save a pet. It's only money, you make it again...

My golden retriever lost her life a few years ago due to cancer in her system, the vet continuously told us it was a virus, but it kept getting worse and worse to the point where we unfortunately had to put her down, and it was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do.

cmill21

4/6/11 1:11:39AM

I had a Boston terrier/Pug and she was hit by a car a few months ago. Had she not been killed instantly I would have sold my car to save her, some people might think I'm crazy but she was my best friend and I would have done anything, as would my parents. For her I had already spent $400+ of dental work(can't remember exactly) because my moms babysitting kids used to pick up her toys and she wouldn't let go.

Svartorm

4/7/11 3:55:06PM

Paid $2,800 for emergency surgery for a dog that cost me $250.

Gogoplatapus

4/25/11 1:20:54PM

Any amount.

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Aether

4/30/11 5:13:37PM

I have a cat and I would pay basically any amount of money to keep him healthy if he needed it. If I didn't have enough money I would find some way.

Like others have already said, you obviously have to consider the quality of life, but assuming that you could return the animal to perfect health, I would pay pretty much anything. I love my cat, he's my best friend as far as I'm concerned and he brings me quite a lot of happiness, I do whatever I can to give him the best life possible.

Look at that guy! So goddamned adorable!!!

BustedKnuckle

5/16/11 5:50:47PM

For the record i wouldn't spend a dime to save a cat! My dog for sure. I voted 100-500. Maybe a bit more. You have to be practical with your money nowadays. I love my dog but...........

KungFuMaster

5/19/11 1:29:55AM

I have a terrier mix which I have had for two years now. The only bills I have paid to treat my dog is for neutering and rabies shots.

I am new to this sort of thing. I hope the bills do not get any more expensive. I have two little girls who definitely come before the dog.

FlashyG

7/25/12 1:36:32PM

I'm not sure what my limit on spending would be for a pet, but I have a real problem with the ridiculous costs Vet's charge for their services and the practices they use to get your money.

A few years ago I brought my cat in to be put down, after he started suffering seizures and lost his ability to walk. When the vet examined him before preparing to put him down she told me that she was pretty sure the only issue was de-hydration and that I should leave him overnight on IV fluids and he could be fine in the morning.

Having the option to save my cat rather than having him killed of course I elected to let them hydrate him. The next day I picked him up from the vet and he suffered another 2 seizures before I even got him home. I took him back again and had him put down, and they gave me a bill for $1200 for the overnight stay and the fluids, another for around $75 to put him to sleep and then a $150 for an emergency appointment (because I didn't have an appointment when I brought him back the 2nd time).

Obviously not all vets are the same, but that one took advantage of its customers attachments to their pets to get any extra money they could.

kopower

7/25/12 1:48:54PM

That's crazy Flashy. It definitely helps finding a trustworthy Vet.

BuffaloDave

7/25/12 1:54:26PM

Posted by warglory

I think personally it all depends on the quality of life after whatever procedure needs to be done.

This statement right here!!

I'll share a short instance, Back when I was with my Ex, she had a cat that was around 14 at the time, it was her childhood cat, the cat basically needed a hysterectomy, the surgery was around $1200 if I remember correctly. Now of course at first I was like, that is way to much to put into a 14yr old cat, but if it wasn't for the vet saying she was healthy as an 8-10 yr old cat, I never would have helped her pay for it. The cat ended up living for at least another 4yrs.

Bubbles

7/25/12 1:55:25PM

any amount obviously. Kitties are my life

DancingDoll

7/25/12 10:46:18PM

I picked 'any amount of money' and in the last year alone, I have truly lived up to my word on that one. Let's just say after having looked over the thread, I've paid more than everyone that's posted so far and was left with a broken heart as my dog still had to be put down in the end. I'm still paying off the vet bills and probably will be for a long time. He was my heart though, and I would have done absolutely anything to save him if I could have. F#cking cancer.

prophecy033

7/25/12 10:57:41PM

I would pay just about anything

Cooler

7/26/12 11:10:01PM

I would give up my life savings for my dogs, they have been more reliable than most of the people I would save with my money.

MMA-San

7/27/12 12:26:22AM

On superbowl Sunday I had to run my dog to the 24hour vet (30 miles away) after she threw up blood. It happened out of nowhwere, she was perfectly healthy. I did 110 miles per hour in my 2002 broken down corolla...I literally could hear my engine fall apart. I put my elights on and honked my horn to go through red lights (lucky for me the roads were baren as it was Superbowl Sunday...also unlucky that all the closer verts were closed).

Anyhow, I got there and they told me she had a tumor that burst and was clogging her lungs, she was choking on her own blood, and they needed to operate. I told the vet to do it, and do it quick, The vet informed me that the operation would be expensive, like 8 grand expensive, I've had this dog for 10 years, I love her, shes my only companion, I said do it. She told me it would be cheaper to put her down, I yelled at her to stop wasting time and operate...the vet told me they couldn't until I could provide proof I could pay. I didn't have my wallet with me, so no credit card (I was in a rush to say the least). They said it wa sok they ahd a credit card I could sign up for in the vet office. It took me 20 minutes to fill out all the paperwork and talk to some person on the phone from India, before they had it all cleared away.

In the time it took me too fill ou their credit app my dog's lungs had filled up, and they could no longer operate. She died in my arms about two minutes after that 20 minutes of paperwork hell. All the vet did was put her ina box so I could take her home.

...they charged me 500 dollars for that...I refused to pay. So they just charged it to the credit card I had completed and registered for (for the purpose of paying for the operation)...then I got a call from the credit card company telling them I owed them 500 bucks. I told them to F off, I didn't authorize them to pay on my behalf for anything, and that I wasn't paying on principal, and that the vet could take me to court, and that they should take the vet to court for falsely using their system to pay for something i did not authorize...a week later I'm in collections. I refuse to pay for that shit...I just let my credit take the hit, the love I have for my dog wont let me waste my money in her name!

The point is, The love of your animal is worth more than all the money in the world, I'd pay whatever, and vets should not base their decision on whether or not to let your animal suffer or die based on your financial status.